


Querencia

by TeamGallifreeWill



Series: A Touch of Normal [26]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:14:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamGallifreeWill/pseuds/TeamGallifreeWill
Summary: The final installment of the Sam/Alexa series. There may be one shots pop up later if I feel like finishing them, but ultimately this is my ending. Sorry it's a little later for the holiday.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester/Original Female Character(s)
Series: A Touch of Normal [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1005252
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

“Lex!” Dean calls, “You have Baby loaded up?”

“Yeah!” she yells back. “All but the cookies!”

“I’ll take those,” He says, taking the tray from her hands.

“Just make sure they make it to the cabin and not just your mouth, Dean.”

“Yeah yeah, if you say so, sis,” he grumbles. She shakes her head and her eyes land on Sam’s mug from that morning. It still has the same chip in its lip from the morning she brought up their new tradition. Smiling, she thinks back to their argument.  
  


“We should have Christmas in the cabin,” Alexa says from the table one morning making Sam’s coffee cup clink as it falls into the sink. “Like the whole thing; tree, lights, presents. Ooo! I can bake a ton of cookies! I bet Cas will help. This is a brilliant idea,” She turns and sees him looking at her like she’s speaking a different language. “Why aren’t you as excited about this as me?”

“Um, well, Christmas. It’s not really something we celebrate. The last time we did was because Dean was going to Hell, and even that went sideways. And you know-” He looks away then back questioningly, “You really want to?”

“I’m the one saying we should, Sam. Come on, you, me, mistletoe,” She winks and continues, “Shopping for presents, hiding ours from each other. I mean,” She notices his blank face, “I guess we don’t have to,” She deflated a bit. 

“No, don't do that, Lex. It’s just- it’s not an easy thing for me.”

“I’m not doing anything,” She defends. “I want to; you don’t. It’s fine.”

He huffs in frustration and sits down with a refilled cup, carefully avoiding the small chip. “I just. I don’t know,” He says after a moment.

“Know about what?” Dean asks, walking into the room.

“Having Christmas at the cabin this year,” Alexa says easily. 

“Really?” He asks surprised, and actually kinda hopeful because well, Cas and mistletoe. 

“Yeah. I want to, but Sam is worried about something.”

“What? Never mind. Can we talk about it later? Alone?” Sam stands back up, starting towards the doorway. 

She takes a second to recover, “Yeah, but I said if you really didn’t- ” But he cuts her off.

“Later, Lex. ‘Kay?” His voice firm and a bit chilly.

“Yeah. Sure,” She says as he leaves the kitchen, Dean looking between the two.

He then speaks quietly, “Before I form an opinion, what’re you wanting from this Christmas?” Dean asks while taking Sam’s now empty seat.

“What do you mean? A couple presents, good food and some normal time?”

“That doesn’t seem like everything,” Something about her tone just makes him dig a little deeper. 

“I-” She turns red, “I kinda wanted a trial run.”

Dean raises his eyebrows as he takes a sip from his brother’s forgotten mug, “Of?”

“The whole family Christmas thing. Like I used to have. If we,” She stops and takes a breath, “completely and absolutely only between us?”

“If you want me to agree to that, maybe you should talk to Sammy first.”

“I don’t know why he’s against it. Well I kinda do. It’s when I left and then the last one you tried to have was before Hell. I get it, not fond memories, but that won’t change if we don’t try again.”

“I get it. Both sides. He’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Too much good so fast with no strings? We’re not used to it.”

“I’ll talk to him about that tonight.”

“Hey,” he says, getting her attention almost as an afterthought. “Just so I know, what’s your traditional Christmas look like?”

She smiles softly at the memories before answering. “Tree and lights, relaxing, lots of food, lots of cookies, baking would start the day after Thanksgiving,” Dean’s eyes widen at a month of cookies while Alexa continues, “And lots of laughing. That day would be presents, then breakfast, then well, as a kid there’d be playing with said presents, but mainly it was about being together.”

“Huh.”

“It’s fine,” She shrugs. “Sam and I’ll talk tonight. Don’t give it another thought,” She gets up and kisses the top of his head as she leaves.

When the group doesn’t find a hunt, Dean and Cas decide to have a movie night. Not wanting to intrude, Sam and Alexa decide to go out for dinner. Although the day and evening have been fine, the looming conversation is getting harder and harder to ignore. Leaving the restaurant, Sam turns to her, “Do you want to go somewhere to talk? Or head home?”

“I don’t think this is exactly the type of conversation to have in public, Sam,” She lets out a strained laugh. 

“I’m just asking, Lex, you don’t need to make me the bad guy already.”

“I’m not, Sam. I just know that some things are going to be said that the general public shouldn’t hear. I don’t want to interrupt Dean and Cas, but I’d feel better in the bunker.”

“Ok. All you had to say,” He lets some of his own frustration slip through and it doesn’t go unnoticed. 

“Don’t make me out to be the bad guy, either, Sam.”

He lets out a groan, “God, Lex, I’m not. I agree with you, ok. I’m just not thrilled about this conversation.”

“Why Sam? It’s a completely normal conversation. Any other couple would be deciding whose family to spend it with; for us, that’s an easy one,” She starts to continue, but he whirls around in front of her.

“That’s not fair!”

“What?” She's thrown off by his anger.

“Do not make me feel guilty about having Dean, Cas, and Mom.”

She feels tears swell in her eyes and she tries to fight them. “That’s- that’s not what I meant. At all,” She says softly and feels a drop run down her cheek. “Just take me home, Sam. That is, if it’s still my home too,” She says as steadily as she can and steps around him 

“Lex, Alexa, wait. I didn’t mean - of course, it’s still your home,” He calls but she continues to walk away. She remains a few steps ahead of him until they reach the car. Wordlessly, they get in and Sam starts to drive. After a few minutes, he has to say something, “Lex, please say something. I know you wouldn’t make me,” He stops as she turns and he sees the tears streaming from her eyes.

“Bunker,” she says coldly and turns to face out the window again.

“Fuck,” He sighs but continues to drive.

Getting back to the bunker, Alexa wordlessly gets out of the car. Walking in, she doesn’t wait for him and slams the garage door. She walks to their bedroom and closes the door to get changed.

Sam’s getting out of the car when the door slams. He sees it coming, but still jumps at the sound. Sighing,  _ Man, I’m doing that a lot tonight, _ he walks into the bunker and is met by two angry green eyes. “Dean, not now.”

“What the hell happened?”

“Still happening.”

Dean steps back, “Oh. Uh, don’t be an idiot,” He offers awkwardly, now that he knows he’s literally in the middle of their fight. 

“Too late,” He drops his shoulders and heads toward their room. He opens the door to Alexa sitting on the edge of the bed, her pillow across her lap. “Lex?”

“I get why you don’t want Christmas, other shoe, bad memories, all that, but if we never have our own, those will be your only memories.”

“Lex, hang on. One argument at a time. And yes, technically that was the first one, but let’s go back to the one after dinner, first, ok? What DID you mean?”

She takes a deep breath and looks at the ceiling before dropping her gaze to the pillow. “I meant that we didn’t have to choose because we were already a family. And then you claimed everyone as your family, leaving me alone again. I get that it’s been you guys for so long, but,” she shakes her head angry at herself for wanting to cry again.

“Oh, God, Lex, I didn’t even think of that. No, baby, I’m an ass for that. I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you like that. You’re my wife. Of course we’re a family. And I think at the moment Dean and Cas are more yours than mine. Dean met me in the hall like an angry bouncer to protect you and - ” He stops and looks away, “Actually, I didn’t even see Cas.”

“He followed me in and asked if I wanted him to keep you out,” She sniffs.

He huffs and wipes her eyes, “See?”

“Ok,” She takes a few more minutes to calm herself, then shakily asks, “But why don’t you want to have a Christmas?”

“Part of it is like you said, I’ve never had a great one and I don’t want to get my hopes up, I guess.”

“Sam, I’m not asking for a Hallmark movie. I’m just saying let’s go up there, eat too much and open some presents.”

“But you want the tree and lights and everything too.”

“Well, yeah, but I don’t need them. I just want to get some practice ones in.”

“Practice ones?”

“Yes. If we, I mean, it’s a possibility in the future, I just thought that you’d want it to be normal.”

“Honey, I mean this with all the love in the world, but, what the hell are you talking about?”

“If they’re tragic, we can figure out something else I guess, but I - I think there are some things I need to have figured out before I make up my mind.”

“Make your mind up about what? Why is this so important to you? In college, it’s not like you were into the whole Christmas thing.”

Her freshly patched wall crumbles again, “I was with you! Do you have any idea the plans I had for bringing you home? Showing you what I wanted to have with you? But yeah, it was crazy fast, and well, if you were actually going to spend time with Dean, that was important too. I knew all that.”

“But then life got in the way.”

“Yes. Fucking demons ruined it. And I didn’t think I’d make it through the night, let alone 15 more years without you. But I got you back, and I want to see if we can actually have it.”

“I still don’t get why this is such a big deal for you though. Why do we need to go all in?”

“I just wanna know if it’s even possible for us to have a Christmas without literal Hell interfering before adding anything more.”

“What would we add? Lex, we’re not into big things, you know that.”

“Why are you being so dense?” She shakes her head at the ceiling. 

He runs his hand through his hair and lets out a strangled sound before starting to pace. “I’m not! I just don’t get why there’s this need to make a huge deal out of some corporate holiday while we know what’s really out there. Especially when we’re adults,” He doesn’t lower his voice through it all.

“Exactly!” She matches his volume. 

“What the hell are you even talking about Alexa?” He throws his hands up. 

“Kids, Sam!” He stops. “I’m not going to raise cynical kids that look at Christmas as a ‘corporate holiday’,” She air quotes and doesn’t slow down, “And not see how it’s more important to value the time you have with your family. Don’t you think I would have paid more attention to every last detail of that last Christmas with my family? My last happy Christmas memory was on a couch in California when my boyfriend gave me a bracelet. I don’t care if we buy presents. We could start a tradition of making them. That’s all details we can work out later. But I’ll be damned if our children won’t have as much normal each and every chance they get,” She instantly goes from fury to laughing and he’s afraid to comment on anything she just let out. “That’ll be a fun explanation, ‘Mommy, why do people put angels on the tree? We’re not gonna do that to Uncle Cas, right?’ Or ‘Mr. and Mrs. Winchester, your children insist on putting trench coats and ties on all the angels and then telling the other children that they don’t really have harps.’ She stops as she loses the battle with her tears, and they cascade down her cheeks as she sinks to the bed. 

In a second, Sam is holding her and starts speaking through his own tears, “Dean and I will get you the biggest damn tree we can fit in the cabin. I love the idea of making gifts, but maybe only one of them. I’m sorry. I-I had no idea you were thinking all of this. This is why you can’t hold all of this in, Baby. And I’m sorry about shutting you down this morning. Usually we’re working a case and it’s just another day. Christmas does make me remember losing my family and you, but you’re right. We’re together now,” He stops and kisses her jaw as they both work to stop crying.

Dean and Cas don’t really want to eavesdrop as they try to continue their movie date, but it’s not Cas’s fault he has superior hearing. Besides, someone only has to step into the hall to hear the screaming match. They instantly tense and look at each other as they hear Alexa yell ‘Kids, Sam!’ Oh this is so much deeper than they thought it was. They really shouldn’t keep listening but, ‘Why do people put angels on the tree, we’re not going to do that to Uncle Cas, right?’ makes Dean snicker. Cas scolds him with a serious side eye. Alexa continues and even Cas has given in as he comments ‘Well, I don’t,’ to the statement about harps. When it suddenly gets quiet, they both must feel the moment has become too personal as they simultaneously turn and head back to their room. Movies can wait. 

Once inside, Dean turns to Cas, “That um, I feel kinda bad about listening in on that.”

He tilts his head as though he’s confused by his own thought while voicing it, “Yes. Although, despite both making valid points, I find I’m hoping Alexa wins.”

Dean smirks and tangles his fingers with Cas’s, “She will. But, wanna elaborate on your feelings anyway?”

“Even if I find children confusing and trying sometimes,” Dean gives a soft laugh, “I understand the desire, and from Jimmy’s memories about Claire, it seems like a very happy experience. I also believe Sam and Alexa will make wonderful parents, and It would make your mother very happy.”

Dean gives him a gentle smile and squeezes his hand, “And how would you feel, Uncle Cas?”

Cas hides his eyes as if Dean would be able to read them, and after everything, he just might, “I find that it would make me very happy as well, ‘Uncle Dean,’” He finishes with a smile.

Dean lets out a full laugh, “We're gonna be the best damn uncles ever. Spoil the little rugrat, or rugrats, senseless. Feed ‘em all kinds of sugar and then pass ‘em back,” He says with a dreamy look.

Cas watches him in awe. Dean would make an amazing father as well, he knows this. He also knows that he can’t give that to him. “Dean.”

“Cas? Hey, hey, what’s wrong?”

“You would be an incredible father as well, you’ve already proven that several times over. I would understand if that is something you’d want to pursue. On your own.”

“Hell, no, I ain’t doing it on my own. Kids are complicated, and messy, and a hell of a lot of work. You’re not making me do all the work, angel boy.”

“Dean, I meant,” He stops as Dean’s lips press against his.

He pulls back and holds the angel’s eyes, “I know what you meant. But ain’t gonna happen. You really think I need the kid to have our DNA? You should know by now, Castiel, this family don’t end with blood.”

“But I don’t want to take that option from you, Dean.”

“Cas, if Claire got hurt, physically or emotionally, how would you feel, and what would you do?”

“I don’t like that idea,” He gets serious. “I don’t want Claire hurt. I would fix it somehow. Either by healing her, killing the thing that caused her pain, or both,” He finishes, almost ready to fly off and smite the hypothetical foe.

Dean laughs and holds his shoulders just in case, “Babe, calm down. One, you can’t just go smiting anyone that breaks her heart. Two, that reaction right there?” He points at him, “Makes you a good dad, too. Blood’s got nothing to do with that. And finally, in case you’re just figuring it out, Claire is kinda ours already. I meant what I said when I dropped you off at Jody’s forever ago. It just kinda slipped out, but then, everything seemed to slap me in the face to tell me Claire sees us as her dads. Us. As in you, too.”

That bit of information makes Cas smile, “Thank you, Dean. It seems that sometimes humans complicate things in good ways as well.”

“Not complicated, Cas; it’s family.”

Back in their room, Sam’s still holding Alexa even though their tears have stopped, “Are you sleeping in your room tonight?” He hands her back the pillow. 

“No. This,” She pokes it, “was just to punch instead of you. But it was an option depending on how this went.”

He nods, “I’m so, so sorry, Lex. We just, we hadn’t talked about it since that case, so I didn’t think of that.”

“I know. And like I said, I know why this is hard for you. I’m not ready to start trying or anything, but the whole thing is definitely picking up momentum. It’s just so big. So many questions we have to figure out the answers to.”

“Hey, you said you had hunter friends before with kids, how did they do it?”

“That’s part of the problem, Sam, either they were a bit like you and Dean where they were pulled into the life from the jump, or they only had one parent as a hunter, usually the dad, and the mom would stay home with them, keeping them out completely.”

“Oh. And you don’t want to do either.”

“Of course not. How you and Dean grew up,” She shakes her head. “And I was never going to be ok being a stay at home mom, Sweetie, sorry if that’s what you thought,” He cracks a smile at her humor returning. “But, when do you tell them? When mommy and/or daddy don’t come home? Do you just give them both lives right from the start?” She starts spiraling. 

Sam can see her going down the rabbit hole, “Hey, Lex, you’re like five years in the future, come back to right now with me,” He sees her eyes focus on him again, “Talk to mom. And Dean. They’re two incredible resources you have at a moment’s notice.”

“Yeah, you’re right. And five years? I was thinking a bit sooner.”

He chokes, “Oh. Um, like how soon?”

“Relax. I just said I’m not ready to start trying, but yeah, in maybe a year or so?”

“Wow. Ok,” He sits and braces his palms on his knees, breathing quickly.

“Sam, hey, calm down. You’re acting like I just told you I’m already pregnant,” She laughs.

“Ok. Let’s try this. But,” he hesitates, “I don’t want you to get your hopes up and then something happens.”

“Sam, I just want to spend a few days in a cozy cabin with my family, eat too much, laugh til I cry, and depending on the weather, throw a few snowballs at your face,” she grins.

“I,” He takes a deep breath, “I can’t let you do that. You won’t even get one snowball free before I tackle you to the ground.”

“Hmm,” Alexa fake ponders it, “We could ambush Dean and Cas.”

“Deal,” He says laughing.

The next morning Sam gets up first and goes to make the coffee that was more than likely forgotten during certain events. When he gets to the kitchen, though he finds Dean already sitting with a cup and scrolling through his phone. Looking up, he greets his brother, “Mornin’, Sammy, everything ok?”

“Ah, yeah, we’re good.”

“Glad to hear it,” He drops the conversation as he takes a sip.

Sam watches him while waiting for the next question, but it never comes. Instead Dean continues looking at his phone and not making eye contact. After a few moments, Sam cracks, “Ok, what all did you hear?”

Dean looks up surprised, “What do you mean Sam?”

“I mean, I know you guys probably heard at least some of what we said, we weren’t exactly quiet, and I’m sure you have things to ask.”

Dean purses his lips, Nope. Can’t think of any. And besides, what makes you think Cas and I listened in? We were having a  _ very,” _ He insinuates, “lovely evening we were eager to get back to.”

“Congratulations, Dean, you officially found something that makes me RATHER think of you two having sex than dealing with.”

“That's why you’re going for a run? I noticed you haven’t been doing them as much since she happened. Thought you said everything was good.”

“We are, Dean, but there’s still a few things I need a little more time to process on my own.”

Dean appraises him, then nods and goes back to his coffee and phone, “Ok. Enjoy your run and I’ll start breakfast in a bit.”

“Are you looking for a case or something, man?”

“Nope.”

Sam rolls his eyes, hating to have to drag it out of his brother, “So, then what’re you doing?”

“Looking up ideas for Cas’s Christmas present.” His tone makes it sound like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

_ Seriously?!  _ But all he manages is a weak, “What?”

“What - what? I’m sorry. I like the idea, and for over ten years Cas didn’t even feel like Earth was where he belonged. So obviously like any good boyfriend would do, I’m overcompensating,” He rambles grumpily.

“You’re -” He huffed a laugh, “I’m outnumbered, aren’t I?”

“‘Fraid so, man. And I get it, I do, but look at your birthday, her’s, hell, man, she even got you to somewhat agree to Halloween, you really think putting up a tree and some lights is a terrible idea?”

“No,” he admits, “And mom would burst at it, wouldn’t she?”

“Yep, and look, between you and I, I’m getting tired of going out of our way to run headfirst into danger. We don’t want to stop, we’re not saying that but,” Sam interrupts.

“We?”

Dean runs his hand over the back of his neck while he answers, “Cas and I. Maybe it’s the whole honeymoon phase or whatever of us finally being together, but I can’t lose him again, he doesn’t want to lose me, why would we want to go actively looking for the things that can take away what we finally have?”

“Wow. That’s, what exactly are you saying, Dean? Are you guys retiring?”

“No, man, just, we talked and agreed to take a bit of a break to actually enjoy what we have. We don’t know how much time we have, so we’re going to extend it as much as we can.”

“You talked? The two of you actually honestly spoke to each other about being vulnerable?” Seriously what the hell is happening? Is the bunker under some kind of curse?” 

“Fuck you, man, nevermind.”

_ Shit, Dean’s serious about this.  _ “Sorry, man, I just, wow.” Then a thought hits him. “ Hey, do you - do you think Lex wants to stop for a bit, too?”

Dean sighs and rolls his eyes, “No idea, Sam, you gotta ask her that. And if she did, what about you? Ever think there’s a reason that you,” He emphasizes, “Didn't come up with the idea?”

Sam’s next words come out dangerously low, almost as if it were a warning, “I’m gonna go for a run, I’ll be back.”

“Sure thing, Schwarzenegger,” Dean quips back at him.

Sam jabs an earbud in and heads out with a shake of the head. That was so not the talk he thought he was going to have with his brother.  _ Wow. The infamous Dean Winchester, settling down. And well, let’s be honest, with a man. His brother’s womanizing act was just slightly overcompensating. All those one night stands dramatically started dwindling when that man showed up, too. Not just a man, but an Angel of the Lord, that had made sacrifices just as many times as they had for their fight. But what were they fighting for now? They were getting older, and it was really nice to just be normal couples in a normal family. Was that what Lex was trying to get him to see? That they all need a break for longer than a couple of days? What if they did have kids? They could still go on the occasional hunt, just stop with the world ending crises they kept looking for, right? But then what? Maybe this whole practice run thing wasn’t such a bad idea. I don’t know if I can even function without being ready for the next fight. And less hunts would mean less danger. And less danger means less chance of losing Lex. Dean and Cas may have a point there. Everyone knows you can’t lose her.  _

Before he knows it, he’s a few miles away from the bunker and thinking about what his family might like as gifts. When he realizes his thoughts have in fact turned into a damn Hallmark movie starring Cas, Dean, Alexa and Mom, he stops suddenly. He looks around wondering if anyone else has caught on to that fact, and sees he’s stopped in front of a bakery.  _ What’s more Christmas than cookies?  _ He walks in and places a to-go order before paying and running back to the bunker.  


At the bunker Alexa wakes up and looks at her phone to see what time it is. Instead she sees the text from Sam saying he went on a run and would be back soon and sighs.  _ Of course he’d go on a run after last night. He just likes the idea of kids, but he keeps running from it.  _ Making up her mind to not dwell on it, she heads to the kitchen for coffee, maybe she can have a day with Cas,  _ although Dean would be better. But then would that really take your mind off it? _

Getting dressed, she makes her way to the kitchen. Her thoughts are interrupted when she hears, “Mornin’, you ok?”

She looks up at Dean standing over a skillet of something, “Huh? Oh, yeah. Good.”

“Okay,” He lets it drop, but she knows he can see right through her answer.

“Hey, Dean?”

“Yeah?” He turns to face her.

“Thanks. For last night. Sam told me about the bouncer act,” She says with a soft smile.

“It was nothing, just wanted to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid,” He shrugs it off and turns back to the pan.

Alexa looks around, “Hey, where’s Cas?”

“Supply run.”

“Ahh.” With that, the kitchen falls into a comfortable silence until they hear the garage door open. Easy footsteps near, as well as the rustle of a few bags. 

“Oh. Hello, Alexa. How are you?”

“They’re okay Cas,” Dean smirks before she can answer for herself.

“Oh,” He looks back to Alexa, “I’m happy to hear that.”

Alexa laughs, “Thanks, Cas. It’s just a normal couple thing. We just, well, we’re apparently not too good with the normal couple things.”

“Did you come to a resolution?” Despite all the progress he’s made, there’s still some things he just doesn’t get. It’s almost like he refuses to be anything but blunt.

That sombers her mood, “Not really. We’re gonna try the Christmas thing, I think,” She thinks back over their talk,  _ did they agree on that? Or was that just Sam trying to comfort her?, _ “Yeah, I think.”

“Huh, well Dean and I,” He stops when the bunker door clangs open and shut. Shortly after, hurried steps cause the other three to share an apprehensive look. They turn as Sam stops in the doorway, holding a box.

“Oh, good! You’re all here,” He smiles, still a little out of breath. “Alexa, I um, these are for you,” He hands her the box to open. She looks up at him with questioning eyes. “Go on, open it.”

She does, “Sam?”

“I mean it. Let’s give it a shot,” He smiles hesitantly.

Dean and Cas crane their necks to look in the box. Unsure what they’re expecting, they definitely weren’t expecting a dozen of various cookies, the four large sugar cookies in front spelling out ‘Be My Mrs. Claus’ in icing.


	2. Chapter 2

They arrive at the cabin to a fine layer of snow on the ground. The four get out of the car and look around. “Well, come on guys, let’s get this stuff inside so we can start decorating.”

Sam shakes his head, “Dean Winchester, interior designer.”

“Shut it, Bitch, it’s gonna look magical. Ain’t that right, babe?” He asks Cas.

“Dean, you can’t ask your husband! He’s biased!” Sam complains while pulling out their suitcase from Baby’s trunk.

“I am fully capable of offering an honest opinion, Sam,” Cas defends himself.

“Would you?” Sam levels him with a look.

“I’d rather not. It just makes him happy,” The angel shrugs with a smile and walks towards the porch.

“That’s my man!” Dean yells, making Alexa laugh loudly as Sam just rolls his eyes.

Between the four of them, they get everything from the car into the cabin and unpacked. Coming down the stairs Alexa finds the brothers already picking at the cookies on the table. “Really, boys?” They look up in innocence. “Yeah, ok. How about I start dinner and the pies while you boys get us a tree?”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Dean says around a mouthful of cookie.

“Same requirements as last year?” Sam asks.

“Should be good. You boys don’t take too long now, Mary should be here in a few.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Dean calls as they walk out the door. Ever since the first year, Dean and Sam go out and get the tree while Cas brings out the decorations. Alexa starts cooking and then when Mary shows up, she flits around helping whoever needs an extra hand.

While Cas is coming down the stairs with a few bins of decorations, the door swings open to reveal Mary. Cas sets the bins aside to help his mother-in-law with her packages. Once set on the table, she wraps him in a hug, “Hi, Castiel, how’re you?”

“Very good, Mary, how’re you?” He responds sweetly.

“Do you guys really need to do that every year? We saw you three days ago,” Alexa feigns annoyance at the act. She smiles and pulls Mary into a hug.

“You know it’s tradition, honey,” She hugs back. “Need help with anything?”

“Not at the moment, why don’t you help Cas? The boys just left to get the tree.”

“Alright, let’s get started as soon as I put my bag down.”

Mary puts her duffle in the third room, Sam and Dean open the door and bring in a large green tree. Expecting their arrival, the first thing Cas had set out was the tree stand. Once settled in its place, the boys take their shoes and jackets off. Dean walks up to Mary and wraps her in a big hug while Sam walks up behind Alexa. She turns and looks at the tree and then nods with a big smile meaning the tree gets her approval. Next Sam hugs his mom, while Dean throws an arm around Cas and looks in the bin he’s currently working out of. 

The group falls into small talk while dinner finishes up and the table is set. It’s a bit odd how easily they made their own traditions over the past few years. The first year was a little haphazard, the second was a much better and smoother experience, and this one feels like they’ve been doing it since day one; it just feels right. Cas can’t help but like this one a little more. It’s just the five of them and he thinks he finally understands the appeal of ‘feeling normal’ and why it’s so important to his family to have some of it at times.

After dinner, whoever’s there either helps decorate, or continues to catch up, clean up, or turn in depending on how they’re feeling. Last year Jody, Donna, and Claire also stopped by for the first night. Donna and Jody sat with Mary and talked while they watched ‘the kids’ put up the tree. Claire insisted she wanted to help, but was sent to bed once they found out she had come straight from a hunt and had driven ten hours non-stop. 

“Hey! Where’s the mistletoe?” Dean calls from the box he’s digging through.

Cas smirks as he hangs the ornament in his hand, “I already hung it, Dear.” Dean slowly looks up, his expression caught somewhere between excited and scared. He remembers the first year. He made it his mission to kiss Cas in every square inch of the cabin.  _ And man, once it had made it to their room _ , again his expression changed, but this time to one of mischief.  _ Damn where could the angel have put it?  _ His head starts scanning the room, “Don’t bother, Dean, you’ll find it soon enough.”

“Ooo is it where I hid it after we went to bed that year? You know when I hung it on my-” He's interrupted by his disgusted brother.

“Dean! For the love of all of our sanity, please don’t continue that. You drove everyone insane. Why didn’t you just leave it where it was?” Sam may mutter “There's a reason why the rule is now ‘get it before Dean’” under his breath although the following year, his ‘payback’ wasn’t much better. Cas had to bribe him to tell him where it was at one point so he could propose to Dean.

Before Dean can respond, Cas huffs a laugh, “I don’t believe you want the answer to that, Sam. And no, Dean. Let’s just finish this so we can eat dinner before bed.” He’ll admit he’s going to enjoy finding the mistletoe when he and Dean are going to bed. Putting it above the bed may not have been his idea, but it was a good one. Alexa had mentioned it a month or so ago and when he saw it in the box, decided to borrow it. He knew she wouldn’t mind, especially when she was rather preoccupied this year.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean’s not going to admit it, but this is one of his favorite things Alexa has come up with. Decorating as a family like some Hallmark movie, days worth of baking and cooking followed by eating said baking and cooking? Awesome. So what if he’s gained a few pounds, he’s still capable, and he’s semi-retired anyway. Enjoying the behind the scenes life with his husband, brother, and sister-in-law is his day to day now. He can’t help the wide genuine smile that takes over his face. He’s finally happy; legitimately happy. And this year something seems to be up; Alexa insisted on taking Sam’s turn on the family gift. 

He’ll find out soon enough though, now it’s time to get the tree with Sam. But first he has to find the mistletoe. Last year Sam tried to get him back by putting it on a headband and then hovering over Alexa so no one else could get any mistletoe kisses.  _ Stupid moose.  _ He looks through the bins and can’t find it. Before long Sam is pestering him to leave.  _ Guess this search has to wait. _

When they get back, Dean immediately gets back to his mission. He begins digging through the bin and still can’t find it, “Hey! Where’s the mistletoe?” Cas tells him not to worry about it, which just spikes his curiosity more. Finally he gives up at the mention of dinner. He knows Alexa’s been cooking up a feast that he can’t wait to dig into. Besides he wants to be well rested for tomorrow’s events. 

“Come and get it, boys!” Mary calls as she walks out of the kitchen with a pot of something. Alexa soon follows with a couple plates of something else. Sam walks into the kitchen instead of to a seat to grab the rest. Soon everything is on the table and the five Winchesters find their seats. Mary ends up at the head, or middle since it's a round table, flanked on either side by her two boys and their partners. “Why aren’t Jody and the girls joining this year, again?”

Alexa takes a hard swallow of her drink, “Oh, they were going to help Claire with something, I think,” She says unconvincingly. Although she earns a couple odd looks, she powers through anyway, “They said they’d join us the day after though.” That seems to quell any questions and everyone digs in, even Cas has learned to have his favorites.

After the meal, Dean and Cas clear the table while the others take seats on the couches. Sam brings in a tray of cookies and settles in beside Alexa. “Look at those two, still like newlyweds. It’s gross,” Dean jests.

Cas just smiles and kisses his cheek, “Oh, yes, I can’t imagine what it would be like to have someone wrap themselves around you,” He's cut off.

“Hey, that’s just between us.”

“Dean, you don’t hide it very well. Anytime we watch a movie, we’re touching in front of them.”

“Well, that’s - you saying you don’t like it?” He stops washing the dish in his hands.

Cas sets the towel he’s using to dry with on the counter and turns his husband’s face towards his. Bracing those forest green eyes between his palms, he softly smiles, “I would give up everything there was, is, and could be, to hold you forever, Dean Winchester.”

Dean’s face heats up with a deep blush, “Yeah, well, you’re a sap Castiel Winchester,” He winks, “And I’d do the same for you.” Cas leans in for a kiss. Forgetting himself, Dean wraps his arms around the angel and deepens the kiss, effectively getting soap and water through his husband’s hair. 

In the living room, Sam happens to look over to see what’s taking his brothers so long to do the few dishes and sees them in a deep kiss. He nudges Alexa who turns to see what he’s looking at, only replying with a wide smile. “Would you look at them? It’s like they’re newlyweds or something. Get a room, you two!” Sam calls.

Dean pulls back, “Shut it, Bitch!” He then notices the soap bubbles in the Angel’s hair and starts laughing. Cas proceeds to dip his hand in the sink and place a handful of bubbles on Dean’s head to ‘make it an equal partnership’, with a wide gummy smile.

Sam chuckles and replies “Whatever, Jerk,” knowing that his words aren’t being heard. To no one’s surprise, after the dishes are done, Dean comes in to announce that he and Cas are going to bed instead of staying up for a movie, but they’ll have breakfast ready in the morning. “We’ll make sure to turn the volume up guys,” Sam said, making Dean give him a red faced glare.

When they get to their door, Cas can’t help but feel a bit excited at ‘getting one under’ on his husband. Dean proceeds to open the door and immediately catches sight of where Cas hung the mistletoe. “Son of a bitch.”

“Is there something wrong, Dear?” Cas asks innocently.

Instead of answering, Dean turns around and pulls him into an one armed hug while the other pushes the door closed. The action is followed by a kiss before pulling back, “Where did you learn to be so sneaky, Castiel? The headboard? Really?”

“Well, I did lead armies of Heaven, Dean, I think I can manage to surprise you once in a while.”

“Really? ‘Armies of Heaven’ Cas? You wanna play that? What am I then? Poor helpless human?” He teases.

“Well, I wasn’t planning on role playing tonight, Dean, but if that’s what you desire,” He lets the word hang.

Dean gulps, then smiles. He loves this Angel with all he is. “You’re what I desire Cas; Just you.”


	4. Chapter 4

Christmas Eve has its own tradition; a family gift and a day of Christmas movies and food. “Wait, you guys would always watch Die Hard as a Christmas movie? Oh that’s friggin awesome! Sammy, how’d you end up with such a cool girl?”   
  


Their first Christmas together, Mary gets everyone ugly sweaters. “Wait! I almost forgot. I have something for everyone before the movies start,” she passes around the wrapped boxes and gives the go ahead to open them. When they do, she opens her robe to reveal her own offending clothing item.

“Really, Mom?” Dean groans.

“They’re tradition” and so it begins being just that. They even decide to make a schedule by entrance to the family. That means that it’ll go Dean, Sam, Cas, then Alexa.

As scheduled, the next year Dean takes his sweater procuring duty seriously. He’s looking through a selection at a local store, when a couple passes by. He overhears the man teasing the woman about her ‘hoarding the jar candles like a squirrel hoarding nuts’. The thought makes him think how Crowley used to call him squirrel and he gets a great idea. He’s also a little surprised to find himself missing the King of Hell.  _ Maybe I should get Rowena one too,  _ he thinks as he leaves. This year’s sweaters will definitely have to be ordered online, although the moose one may be considered seasonally appropriate. The only problem would be figuring out what Mom and Lex would be. 

“A giraffe?” Cas questions more than just Dean’s decision of this sweater.

“Yeah, Crowley called you that once, remember?” When Cas glares, he leans into his side and whispers, “And besides, what you do with your tongue,” he ends with a nibble to the angel’s earlobe.

Cas drops his reddened face, “Dean,” he scolds while the hunter laughs.

“Oh, gross! It’s Christmas!” Sam yells. “We don’t need to know that.”

“I didn’t say it out loud!”

“But I was right, wasn't I?”

This year though there’s been an upset, as Alexa demanded to take Sam’s spot in the lineup. It wasn’t easy, but she finally convinced them to agree. “Okay, everyone, time for this year’s sweater reveal,” Sam groans.

“It’s not that bad, Sammy! Besides you better be nice, it was your wife’s turn, remember?”

“Oh, I do. I also know her sense of humor is along the same lines as yours, Jerk.”

“Hey!” Alexa and Dean both yell at the jab.

“Watch it, Bitch, or you won’t get your awesome gift from me,” he emphasizes his point with a cookie before stuffing it in his mouth.

“Oh, there’s a threat,” he laughs.

“Alright, boys, that’s enough,” Mary’s voice breaks into the bickering. She pulls Alexa down to place a kiss on her forehead, “I’m excited at least, sweetie.” With that, she continues into the living room with a mug of hot chocolate and sits on the arm of the loveseat next to Dean.

“Well, I guess that settles that,” Sam chuckles and brings Alexa into a hug against his chest.

“She started it, and you don’t want to disappoint your mother, do you?”

“Oh no, that would be very bad. You don’t want to be on Mary Winchester’s bad side,” he says into her hair. “Besides, you did take this year away from me,” he winks.

“I think you’ll be ok with it, Sam,” she leaves his arms and pulls out a stack of wrapped gifts about the size of shirt boxes. “Now, Sam opens his last, and I need you to stay quiet until he does because they kind of go together, got it?” 

“What, we share one?” Dean asks as she walks on to hand Sam his.

“Well, they’re the same so I figured you could use the same box as well.”

“Yeah, Dean, these aren’t exactly sweater weight shirts,” he quips as he plays with the box in his hand.

“I changed it up a bit this year,” she shrugs as she finishes up her reasoning.

Dean looks around at the others, then back to Alexa. “Okay, so besides Sam going last, any other specifications?”

“Nope, open them as you want, but just keep quiet,” she rests on the arm of the couch.

“Um, ok, Mom, go ahead and go first,” Dean offers.

Mary gently peels off the paper and opens the box, careful to make sure the lid blocks Dean’s and Sam’s views. Until she drops it and covers her mouth, slowly looking up at Alexa. “You like it?” Alexa asks. All Mary can do is nod her head and blink back the tears before they fall.

Dean leans over slightly concerned, “What was it?”

Before he can see what’s inside though, Cas gets his attention, “Dean, we should open ours.”

“Ah, yeah, sure. Ready when you are, babe.” They open the box slowly and Dean lets out a whoop. “Hell, yeah!” wraps his arms around Cas and gives him a sloppy kiss on the cheek making the angel’s smile widen to the point of making his gums show and tiny crinkles frame his eyes. Dean then looks back up at Alexa with a wide smile, “Awesome.” And no matter what torture she may face in the future, nothing will ever make her confess that THE Dean Winchester just giggled.

“Okay,” Sam draws out. “That wasn’t weird at all,” He turns to Alexa. “What the hell did you get them? And why did I have to go last?”

“Shush and open, Samuel,” she smiles nervously. Despite previous reactions, waiting for Sam’s reaction though is still nerve wracking. She watches and time seems to slow as he slides his finger under the edge of the tape. When he finally has the paper stripped, Alexa is at the point that she’s ready to open it for him. But then time suddenly speeds up and he’s lifting the top and freezes. He turns to her and there’s a tear barely hanging on, “Well?” she asks.

“For real?” He manages quietly.

She smiles and nods before remembering she can talk, “For real.” 

He looks to his mom and brothers, who seem to be hanging on by as thin a thread as he is, “Did you guys know?”

“I could tell,” Cas shrugs as Dean smacks his chest. “Ow,” he glares.

“And you didn’t tell me, man?” He's highly insulted by his husband’s secrecy.

Sam takes it all in and turns to Alexa again, before taking off his flannel and t-shirt and swapping it for the ‘World’s Best Dad’ t-shirt he was just gifted with a wide smile. Looking around the cabin while the others pull on their World’s Best Grandma and Uncle shirts, respectively, he sees the entrance and flashes to first finding Alexa bleeding on the floor. Quickly looking away to the kitchen instead, he quirks his mouth at the memory of walking in to find Alexa and Dean singing before Cas walked over to kiss him, effectively breaking the cat out of the bag. He drops his head as the smile takes over, and realizes they’re sitting on the same couch as when he asked this amazing woman to marry him. Now she’s his wife and telling him he’s about to be a dad. They say that once a soul has been in Hell it can’t go to Heaven, but that’s got to be an outright lie, because this is surely his.


End file.
